Her Darkest Secret
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: Adrien discovers Marinette's deepest, darkest, secret...


There were many things that Adrien loved about visiting Marinette as Chat Noir.

He loved that he could actually relax on her chaise and let her sweet, soothing, voice wash over him as she babbled on about her day. He loved that he could actually relax _at all_. He loved the fact that she actually spoke to him coherently so her voice could soothe him. He loved that he could really open up to her and talk about his own feelings (though he did have to severely edit when he spoke about his civilian life) He loved her laugh when they bantered about what she called his terrible puns. He loved that he could spend all night playing video games with someone just as passionate and excited about them as he was. He loved listening to music with her as their tastes were virtually identical. He loved that she always had some food waiting for him. He loved the taste of the food, usually something sinfully sweet that would give his nutritionist a heart attack just thinking about it.

And, he decided, the thing he loved most about visiting Marinette was the fact that he could snuggle up to her (platonically, like all friends do, there was nothing romantic going on here, so _shut up Plagg_!) and breathe in her delicious cookie scent.

It was a deliciously sweet scent that made him think of what a home should be. It was comforting and familiar, and reminded him strongly of Ladybug who also smelt like cookies. It made him hungry and happy all the same time, and he could breathe it in all day long if he could.

The thing he didn't love about visiting Marinette as Chat Noir?

Plagg.

His grumpy lazy excuse of a Kwami always moaned and groaned about having to transform Adrien and when they got back home he then teased and tormented Adrien about visiting Marinette. Now, Adrien is convinced that Plagg is purposely making the timer on the Miraculous run down quicker as Adrien has been forced to duck into Marinette's bathroom with cheesy baked goods for Plagg to recharge.

"Mmmm….." Plagg moaned blissfully as he savoured a bite of a slightly stale Cheese Danish, "this is heaven."

"Yeah, I'm sure it is," Adrien said impatiently, "now can you hurry up and _eat it_ so I can transform. I have important things to do."

" _Please_!" Plagg snorted derisively. "You're going to play that stupid game for the hundredth millionth time. You don't need to be transformed for that."

"Yes I do!" Adrien whined childishly. "Marinette totally shuts down on me when I'm Adrien. Now hurry up and eat your cheese!"

"You don't hurry up with _cheese_!" Plagg huffed indignantly. "Cheese is a gift from the Gods that needs to be savoured and treasured with each small, delicious, bite. You don't gulp it down like its water."

"Oh _purr_ -lease!" Adrien drawled out irritably as he crossed his arms. "I've seen you guzzle down camembert as if it was your first glass of water after a long summer's day in the desert you never _savour your cheese_. You're doing this to wind me up!"

"I so do savour my cheese!" Plagg protested. "Especially when it's baked to perfection like this," a sly smirk suddenly flashed across Plagg's mischievous face. His neon green eyes twinkling with sheer cheek. "Or are you saying that your precious Princess's baking doesn't _deserve_ to be savoured?"

"I am not saying that whatsoever!" Adrien spluttered. "Don't you put words into my mo-"

 _Flump!_

It was a quiet, muffled, sound of a sponge falling into the bottom of the bath but it was enough to make both Adrien and Plagg jump and look around fearfully in case either one of Marinette's parents walked in on them.

(It would be really hard to explain to Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng exactly why Adrien was in their bathroom after midnight with a proclaimed God of Destruction and Bad Luck that happens to have a penchant for cheese.)

For a second, Adrien could have sworn he saw a shadow of movement behind the shower curtain. He hesitatingly stepped closer to the bath and slowly reached out to tug at the shower curtain. With a deep breath he suddenly tugged the curtain aside to reveal….

….nothing.

At first, that is. For a moment he stared blankly at the various bottles of shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and what other toiletries the Dupain-Cheng kept by their bath, and then his eyes snagged onto it.

It stood there between Marinette's flowery shampoo and conditioner, looking perfectly, deceptively, innocent.

He blinked once, thinking he was imaging things, but when he opened his eyes it was still there.

He blinked again and rubbed his eyes furiously and _it was still there_!

Disbelievingly Adrien slowly reached out and gently picked it up. He examined it carefully, unable to believe his eyes, and slowly he lifted it up to his nose and breathed in deeply.

It smelled like comfort, home, Marinette, and Ladybug rolled into one.

It smelled like _**cookies.**_

"N-n-no way!" Adrien stuttered. "I-I-it can't be!"

" _Adrien_!" Plagg hissed impatiently. "What is it? What's the matter?!"

"….The cookie smell!" Adrien whimpered as he squeezed the bottle of vanilla and macadamia shower gel in his hands. "It's not _real!_ It was all a lie, Plagg, Marinette never smelt like cookies!"

"Oh bother," Plagg rolled his eyes.

(Meanwhile, hiding safely behind the convenient solitary pot plant on the windowsill, Tiki sighed in relief. That was a close call.)


End file.
